


Difference Comes with Age

by Lokkish



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Multi, Non-Consensual Touching, Transgender
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-05 08:35:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11574399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lokkish/pseuds/Lokkish
Summary: It's their final year at Camp Camp and while Max has expected things to change, he didn't expect them to change this much. What are you supposed to do when everything you always knew to be true gets turned upside down in just one day?





	1. When Things Change

**Author's Note:**

> Just Note: There are some references to child abuse, accusations of homophobia, and non-con elements in this story. If that's not your cup of tea please skip. Thank you.

Max blames his lack in sexual or romantic attraction to be the primary factor to the mess he’s in now. It couldn’t have been that Nikki and Neil would do their own thing and leave him out of it. 

Oh no. 

They’re the dynamic trio so of course Nikki and Neil had to include Max in their shenanigans somehow. He just wished he saw it coming. 

-

It was their last summer at Camp Campbell. 

While Max had hated the place during his first summer and never planned to go back, his parents had other ideas. All they really looked for was somewhere cheap that got him out of their hair. Those bastards were more than happy to send him to any hell hole they could find. 

Thankfully Camp Campbell was never too terrible. For Nikki and Neil never failed to show year after year either, making something miserable a bit more bearable. 

Max never really understood why his friends kept coming back. Neil’s parents could afford to send him to a real science camp, and their war for Neil’s affection would lead one to believe that they would fight to get him in the best Science camp possible. Yet year after year he surprised Max by showing up. And Nikki...well Nikki wasn’t actually a mystery cause he liked it there for some reason that Max never quite understood.

Regardless of his two friends motives they were always a welcome balm to his frayed nerves every summer. They lived in the same general area but different districts so they couldn’t go to school together. Nikki’s dad liked living more country so she was surrounded by trees on a five acre lot, Neil’s parents were just like every normal middle class family that had a child too young and hated each others guts so they lived in a more suburban area, and Max well being the kid of a lawyer and a CEO to a fortune 500 company got you locked up in the ritziest part of town, he hated it. 

While they definitely didn’t go to school together that didn’t mean that Max, Neil, and Nikki didn’t try and keep in touch. After that first summer they exchanged phone numbers, Nikki’s idea, and they constantly messaged each other during the year between summers. They talked all the time, they complained to each other, and tried to help each other even if they couldn’t be with each other physically. 

To Max it was perfect, they were his support group in his pocket. He never told them everything, as there are just some thing you never talk about, but if he ever needed someone he had two people ready day or night to listen to him and they knew he would be more than happy to return the favor. 

Just like they all supported Neil when he finally came out to his parents. Nikki and Max messaged every five minutes to make sure Neil was alright and that they didn’t need somehow rescue him from a bad situation. 

They also supported Nikki when he came to terms with his sexuality. Neil and Max poured over every resource and google search they could find to try and help him make sense of who he was and what his feelings meant. They supported him when he finally told his parents and then again when he asked if he could start taking hormones. They supported each other through thick and thin and never judged each others convictions.

They grew up with each other each in a way that Max never thought he would with other kids his age. As a bit of a loner himself Max prefered to do his own thing and a lot of kids he knew from school and family friends never saw the world he did. And while Nikki and Neil sure as hell weren’t perfect and their friendship was based on never ending text messages while only seeing each other over the summer, Max truly could not have asked for better friends.

Which brings them back to this. Their final summer at Camp Campbell, and possibly the worse summer Max had ever had.

Max wasn’t sure what happened. One moment everything was normal, the next everything wasn’t. 

Max always showed up to camp early, his parents really want their summers alone and every moment they can get was a benefit to them. Thus he’s waiting with David, like he always did since his first summer, for the Quartermaster to show up with Nikki and Neil. 

David hasn’t changed a bit in all the years Max has known the man, even through the process of taking ownership of the Camp. Ever since Max’s third summer and an unfortunate accident Mr. Campbell had with the authorities David has been the owner of the camp and has been taking really good care of it. Yet one thing David always made sure to do himself was to greet incoming campers and show them around. Camp Camp, as it’s now officially known, has improved leaps and bounds now that the owner wasn’t just trying to make a quick buck and actually was dedicated to the place.

The different Camps actually had different counselors who actually knew what they were talking about. The food tasted much better now that 75% of it was more than just lard. The campers actually had their own small cabins, granted if kids wanted tents that was still available. The canoes didn’t have holes in them. The stage wasn’t falling down. The equipment was not only safe to use but was top of the line. And to top it all off there was actually decent plumbing. 

To say that Camp Camp was better than ever was an understatement. Kids actually wanted to come here, parents actually sent their kids on purpose. To Max that in itself was a testament to what a great job David was doing with the place. Not that Max would ever tell him any of that. Yeah Max and David get on a lot better than they ever did but that did not mean that Max himself was any more of an empathic or emotional person. No he still said “I hate you” and “Fuck off” just as much as ever, granted some of the original bite he used to have was gone. 

Of course none of this was any reason that Max liked Camp Camp. Yeah the place was a fun place to be now, but the only reason he actually liked coming was due to the two people that never failed to show up and keep him company. Nikki and Neil always managed to give him some semblance of happiness during his dreary life. 

“Here’s the bus.” David said excitedly. The stupid idiot had a grin a mile long. “Aren’t you just super excited to see your friends again Max?” This was the third time David had asked that question in the past half hour of them waiting. 

“Tsk, shut up David.” Max grumbled as the bus rolled to a stop in front of them. Usually Neil and Nikki waited until all the new and younger kids got off the bus. Neil said it was because all the pushing and excitement that the younger kids gave off was unsettling. Nikki said it was because Neil was afraid one of the new kids would put gum in his hair again. Max was partially convinced that they just wanted to make him freak out for half a second that they didn’t come this year. But they always came and this year was no different. When Max saw them he couldn’t help but give an almost smile, happy to see them once more. 

But that happiness was short lived and turned to out right confusion.

It wasn’t because they looked different. No Max got used to that after their first summer reunion, not to mention that they send each other selfies all the time so they knew what they look like. So Max wasn’t thrown for Neil being and even taller and nerdier nerd than ever before, Max and Nikki really needed to talk to that boy about fashion. And it wasn’t that Nikki was definitely on his hormones and the results were more pronounced than his last picture portrayed. Nikki was just a bit shorter than Neil now making it so they both towered over Max, life could be so unfair sometimes. 

No physical characteristics were not why Max was confused. What confused him was that they were holding hands, and Max was just not expecting that. Not in a million years. Yeah, they’ve been known to grab each others hands to drag one another along somewhere, but that’s not what this was. This was boyfriend territory and Max had no idea what to think about that.

At first Max skimmed over the fact until his brain caught up with his eyes and he back tracked to their hands. His first thought was, ‘Why the hell...wait...what?’ His confusion must have been clear on his face because as Nikki and Neil approached they both looked nervous. This just made Max scowl harder, “You’re dating? Since when?” He asked aggressively pointing to their hands. It wasn't that he was mad, at least he never thought it was, it was more that...well he couldn’t really place the emotion. He wasn’t mad, and disappointed didn’t seem like the right word at the time. He was just confused, but that emotion wasn’t strong enough for what he was feeling either. 

Neil fidgeted as if Max caught him doing something he didn’t think Max would approve of, which was stupid, and Nikki looked a bit defensive but also nervous as well.

“Well, we figured we would try it out during the summer.” Neil started to explain. “And if it worked out we could continue when we entered high school and see what happens from there.” Neil finished while scratching the back of his neck nervously.

“Yeah,” Nikki continued. “We figured that here we would get less shit for it if we’re open about it then when we all go to high school together. Here we could also get more comfortable with the notion of people being jackasses about the whole thing, if they are, and we can give as good as we can get.” Niki said this looking at Max challengingly, as if he thought Max would actually disapprove or say something negative. 

The plan was solid as far as Max was concerned. Next school year was their first year at high school and they were all going together. It was a Tech School, and as those worked with a larger district than regular public schools it was possible for the three of them to actually go to the same one. Max had to put a little more convincing than the other two did, bribing his parents with the notion that he could go for the Architectural Drafting program the school had so that they thought he was doing something ‘worth their time.’ Nikki wanted to go into welding and Neil wanted to go into computer programing, of freaking course, but really it was just an excuse to actually be able to go the same high school together. 

Max was thrilled.

But in the here and now, he wasn’t. He didn’t know why but he just wasn’t. It’s not like he cared that Nikki and Neil were dating, it was none of his business, but still he wasn’t happy. Instead of letting his emotions, of which he wasn’t even too sure about himself, to show he schooled his face to be apathetic. 

‘Closed off,’ Nikki usually called it. ‘You just shut down,’ was Neil’s take. He could see it in Nikki’s and Neil’s faces when the mask was firmly in place. They almost looked distraught, and on some level they probably were. He didn’t usually put it on around them anymore. It wasn’t something he needed nor wanted to do, but at this moment he couldn’t help it. He had to get his own head straight before he did or said something stupid. 

“Whatever.” He said simply while shrugging. “Not like I care what the hell you two are up to.” 

“Max we-” Neil started but stopped looking uneasy.

Max just tsked when nothing else seemed forthcoming from either of his friends. “Look like I said, I don’t give a fuck what you two are doing between the sheets. Congrats. Hope you two make each other happy.” He said neither feeling, nor did he think he sounded very congratulatory, again something that Nikki and Neil both seemed to pick up on and wince at. 

“Now common.” Max said as he turned to lead his friends to the cabin they were staying in. “Nikki, David said you can bunk with me and Neil this year so it’ll be the three of us, yay. I guess that means you two shouldn’t let him know you two are dating because that might change faster than any of us would like.” Max looked over at David and was happy to notice that he was more than occupied with the new campers to pay them much of any mind, good. 

Neil and Nikki saw where he was looking and quickly let go of eachother. “And speaking of sleeping together.” Max turned to face his friends and pointed at them both, “No sex while I’m in the cabin, got it?” He said firmly pointing at them both in turn before turning back around when they gave him a nod and continued to lead them to the cabin.

They didn’t speak again until they go to the cabin and it was driving Max up the wall. This wasn’t usually how they acted around each other. Usually Nikki was running his mouth a million miles per minute, every once in awhile Neil would interject with his own thought and Max would happily listen unless he felt his two cents were needed, usually to call one of them stupid. 

Yet, that’s not how this 15 minute walk went at all and instead of feeling like no time at all to get to the cabin, as it should have, it felt like the longest fifteen minutes of Max’s life. Even longer than the time he got a C- in one of his math classes and had to wait for his dad to get home. 

The tension was making Max’s back tense up in a way he wasn’t used to with Nikki and Neil and made him walk quicker to the cabin then he normally would have. It didn’t help that they were actually following him instead of standing next to him like they usually would. He felt like a hunted animal, waiting for the killer blow, he hated it.

When they got to the cabin Max opened the door with more force than he would have liked and stalked over to the bed he had already claimed, which thankfully was the closest one to the door. Sitting down he tried to act normal. He tried to sit like everything was fine. That nothing had changed. That they were still the dynamic trio and everything was the same. But the moment Neil closed the door Nikki’s hand was back in his Max couldn’t help but notice that the weird emotion bubbled up once more, Max’s mask was still in place but he couldn’t help but stare at the hands. The emotion in him was too confusing so he looked away quickly. 

“Well you idiots going to settle in or what?” Max asked incredulously when he noticed that neither Neil nor Nikki had made further moves into the space.

As if his words had flicked a switch both Nikki and Neil moved and put their stuff on separate beds but didn’t more further. This made Max roll his eyes. 

“What the fuck is wrong with you two?” Max said challengingly. He knew this wasn’t the correct way to deal with whatever was going on with them right now, but Max didn’t know what he was supposed to do, how was he supposed to act. The emotions in him were confusing, his friends were being confusing, everything was just so confusing and he didn’t know what to do with it all. This summer was supposed to be the best. It was their last at Camp Camp, and they were supposed to go out with a huge BANG, make David never want to see them again. But the way it was starting was more like a whimper. 

A confusing convoluted mess.

“What’s wrong with us?” Neil asked quietly in the way that meant he was mad and was going to blow up and start yelling. “What the hell do you mean what’s up with us?” He bellowed. Nikki looked nervous and took Neils hand again. “You're the one acting all weird.” Neil accused pointing a finger at Max in anger. Max just sat on his bed looking indifferent during the whole episode. “I mean sure I was expecting some resistance. Especially from some of the younger kids, or Dolf, or maybe even Nurf. But from you? What the HELL I never expected you to be a-” Neil cut himself off and Max’s anger skyrocketed, going from impassive to red fury faster than he could ever remember getting angry with Neil. 

“To be a what, Neil.” Max asked through gritted teeth. He’d give Neil the benefit of the doubt. Neil of course knew finishing that sentence would be a mistake.

“Max, you know he doesn’t mean-” Nikki tried to pacify his friend knowing that Max wouldn’t let it go unless Neil either finished the sentence of took it back.

“Shut it, Nikki.” Max snapped as he stood up. He was smaller than both Neil and Nikki but he could fill a room with his presence when he was angry and he used that ability now, never in a million years would he have thought he would use it on either of his friends but here he stood, trying so hard not to punch Neil in the face. “What am I Neil?”

“I never thought you would be a homopho-” Neil didn’t even get to finish, Max decked him. Niki let out a small shriek before he grabbed Max’s arm as if to stop him from throwing another punch. Max wasn’t actually going to but he could understand Nikki’s apprehension. Neil was slowly getting back up from where he fell and whipped blood off his upper lip from where he must have bitten it. He looked stricken as if he couldn’t believe that Max would ever hit him. 

Max was absolutely livid. “How dare you. How Fucking dare you, Neil.” Max growled deep in his chest. He didn’t yell. That was what people always found frightening about Max, when he was really and truly pissed off he didn’t yell. He growled in a deep and frightening voice that has made people piss their pants before. “I couldn’t give two shits who you are fucking. Who either of you are fucking. You could go off and fuck a fucking watermelon for all I cared, you peice of shit. But don’t you ever call me a homophobe again you cunt. You know I’m not, and to even suggest I am is the shittiest thing you have ever said to me.” 

With his piece said Max pushed Nikki off him. He wasn’t going to hit Neil again. There would be no need, if Neil said it again he would just leave. He didn’t need to take that kind of shit from his ‘best friends.’ 

Nikki wasn’t happy to be shoved off but he went to check on Neil’s split lip. Giving a small wince at the wound Nikki turned back to Max standing in front of his boyfriend. “Then what is your problem? Cause you obviously have one.” He said exasperated as if the whole conversation was already too draining for him. 

Max stood back a bit and put his hands in his hoodie pocket. He looked his friends over a bit more trying to come up with something to say that wasn’t, ‘I have absolutely no idea.’ He finally came up with, “How long?”

Nikki looked like a million pounds were lifted from his shoulders. Max could work with that. Make them think it’s just him being mad that they didn’t tell him sooner. Sheepishly Nikki answered with a, “Five months.”

“FIVE MONTHS!” Max yelled in surprise unable to help himself. He was expecting maybe a month as then it would make a bit more sense why they didn’t tell him. Maybe even two, but FIVE? If Max’s confused feeling could get even more convoluted he sure didn’t think so until that moment. “And you didn’t tell me?! Not even a, ‘Hey Max guess what?’ Did it even cross your mind?” Max asked hurt.

“Well of course we did,” Nikki assured right away. Noticing how his friend looked a bit distraught. “But it’s kinda hard to tell over text, so we thought it would be best to tell you in person.”

“Five Months After you guys have already start dating?” Max asked in a tight voice. He was angry, he was confused, he was distraught, he thought they were his friends and that he was theirs.

“Max, we didn’t think it would be that big of a deal.” Neil said simply still standing a bit behind Nikki. Max took note of the bruise forming on Neil’s chin. He thought about everything that had happened today. He then remembered the day he came home with a C- and had to wait for his dad and could help but connect the two days in his mind. He felt trapped, as if no matter what he did something bad was going to happen. He could run, but that might be a bad idea and make things worse. He could stay but that was a bad idea as well. Trapped. 

Max didn’t notice that a tear fell from his eye until Nikki gasped and reached for his face. Max slapped his hand away and backed up. Neil looked just as shocked, and Max felt trapped. He didn’t know what to do, and even worse he didn’t know why he felt the way he did. He took another step back and whipped at his face. He was surprised to see his hand come back wet even though he had known there was a tear there. 

“Max?” Neil asked softly. 

It made Max jump and he looked up at Neil contemplating him. 

“Max, I’m sorry.” Neil said slowly, stepping around Nikki and approaching slowly as if Max was some scared animal, which to be fair he sort of was. “I had no idea this would mean so much to you. We didn’t think you would care.” Neil explained as he grabbed Max’s hand in his own. Max stared at their conjoined hands. His in a fist and Neil’s wrapped comfortingly around it. 

Nikki had come around him and held Max from behind. He stiffened as he didn’t notice that Nikki had moved. “We’re so sorry Max.” Nikki mumbled from behind him making Max relax a bit. 

Max was slow to comprehend what happened next. He was confused, he was angry, he was scared, he was trapped. So it really wasn’t his fault that it took him a moment longer than it should have to register what was happening around him. When it did Max froze. 

Neil was kissing him on the lips and Nikki was mouthing his way up Max’s throat. Neil’s arms were around him now and his hands were wandering around under his boxers and onto his bare ass. Nikki’s hands were lifting his shirt and making their way up the expanse of his stomach stopping at his nipples and playing with them a little. Neil used his height to his advantage and moved Max’s head up giving Nikki more room to kiss and lick his throat. Neil slowly licked Max’s lips asking for access to his mouth. Max slowly complied, his mind not fully catching up to everything that was happening. 

Soon Neil’s tongue was exploring his mouth. His slimy wriggling appendage was moving around in Max’s mouth and Max was growing horrified. Nikki stopped teasing one of his nipples and his hand was moving down to the front of his boxers. Max couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. Neil squeezed his ass lifting him up a little and Nikki’s hand was moving beyond his waistband. Max wanted to throw up, but at the same time his body felt like it was on fire in a good way and he didn’t know what to do. 

Neil’s hands moved until he was touching Max’s hole. Max was disgusted. Nikki’s hands wrapped around his cock. Max couldn’t help but moan. Nikki pumped and mouthed at his neck while Neil pushed and attacked the other side of his neck neither of them could see him as Max let out a broken sob. Everything stopped. 

Max felt the tears run down his face but he didn’t move. 

“Max?” Nikki asked slowly, removing his hand from his friend’s private area but resting it on his hips Neil did the same. Neither of the cowards could look at Max’s face. Probably too afraid of seeing what they knew would be there. Max was horrified. The situation was the absolute worst he could have ever imagined. 

“Let go.” Max whispered. To afraid to do more that that. Both Neil and Nikki removed their nasty appendages away from his body. They both stood back and they both still didn’t have the gall to look at him. 

Max ran.

He had no idea where he was going but he knew he needed to get away.

So he just ran.


	2. It All Comes Tumbling Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: This chapter contains references of child abuse. If that isn't something you like to read please skip this story entirely, there will be a lot of references to abuse and if you don't want to read that this story might not be your cup of tea. Thank you.

When Max finally came back to himself he was leaning against a log near Lake Lilac, knees pulled up to his chest and arms wrapped protectively around himself. He stared out at the expanse of water before him without actually seeing anything. Not that there was much to see. 

Max had found this spot three summers ago when him Neil and Nikki were out exploring. They used the spot now for when they wanted it to just be the three of them and get away. It made sense that Max’s body automatically brought him here. Even though the only two other people who would come here are the ones that drove him there in the first place. The place still felt safe.

He had no idea how long he had sat there for but when he got out of his own head he noticed that the sun was closer to setting than he last remembered and David was sitting next to him on the log. This startled Max but he tried not to show it as he glared up at the man. Max had no idea what he must have looked like to David but he must be a mess because when David returned his gaze it was with a pinched expression and a wide fake smile. He didn’t frown at Max’s glare just quietly stared at Max as if looking him over for some sort of physical damage before returning his gaze back to the water.

“Good evening Max. What a beautiful sight you’ve got here.” David said politely trying to give off a sense of ease.

“What are you doing here David?” Max asked sounding defeated to his own ears as he returned his own gaze to the water. The sight was beautiful. The spot faced to the west so you could see the sun set, it also faced away from the other camps and into some protected nature reserve for the birds and fish so it was possible to see a crane every once in awhile. It was quiet and overall just peaceful.

“You missed orientation,” David pointed out quietly. “Everyone else is starting afternoon activities.”

“Like I give a fuck David,” Max snapped. “What are you doing here?” He asked again more annoyed than the last time. 

“Nikki and Neil are worried about you,” David started. Max just sneered and held himself together tighter.

“Fuck off,” Max grunted totally done with this conversation.

“Max, what happened? What’s wrong?” David whined oblivious that he was putting his nose somewhere it definitely didn’t belong.

“Nothing, now shut up and leave me alone.” Max grumbbled.

“That’s not what Nikki and Neil said,” David sighed. This made Max burry his head in his knees, what was David playing at if he already knew then what was he doing here. “Look Max if what they said was true I just need a confirmation on your part and then I’ll send them home.”

“What!” Max sputtered looking at David like he had grown three heads. “You can’t send them home, for what, being gay? Fuck off David.”

David looked shocked before waving his arms around nervously to emphasize that’s not what he meant. “What? No no. Not that, god knows that’s hardly a problem.” David explained and then sighed. “Look Max I need to know, did they touch you without your consent?” David inquired softly, as if he was afraid Max would take it the wrong way. 

“You’re going to send them home?” Maxed asked distraught. He knew how these things worked. You tell someone that you got felt up when you didn’t want to be and then they took that person away, never to be seen again, even if the whole situation was a major misunderstanding. That’s not what he wanted. Of course Max wasn’t 100% sure what he did want right now, but he didn’t want Nikki and Neil to be kicked out of Camp. 

“Well Max, if it’s true I have to. I need to make sure you are all safe and such behavior is just unacceptable.” David said scratching the back of his head nervously. “So just confirm and we’ll-”

“No,” Max whispered.

“What?” David asked.

“I said no. They didn’t touch me without my consent.” Max must have looked lost. He felt lost. He didn’t want Nikki and Neil to be sent home. “Don’t send them away David, it’s just a stupid misunderstanding. I promise.”

Something pitiful must have been on his face because David looked like he was about to cry. David knelt down close to Max and hugged him tight. As if he wasn’t in charge of his own body instead of pushing David off Max hugged him back. “I promise nothing happened don’t send them away.” Max mumbled feeling numb. 

David just shushed him and held him tighter. “It’s ok Max, I won’t I won’t send them home.” David said soothingly rubbing his back in circles. “Just tell me what happened, everything will be alright.”

Max just hiccuped and buried his head further in David’s stupid shirt. How pathetic, he was being downright disgusting. What kind of weakling was he crying into David’s shirt. Max couldn’t remember the last time he cried, and here he was crying on David like some child that had no control over his emotions. 

“It’s ok Max, it’s ok. Just tell me what happened.” David said soothingly. Max shook his head. He couldn’t, Max couldn’t say. That’s not how these thing should go. To talk about what happened would make it real, it was just better for everyone to stay quiet about some things. Dwelling on the past, on what happened to make him hurt, was never the correct answer. It just made him weak. 

“Please, Max if you tell me what happened I can help. I promise.” David pleaded still hugging Max tight. 

“No, you’ll send them away and I won’t see them until school starts up, or you’ll report it to my parents and then they won't let me go to highschool with them, or you’ll do something stupid and make them leave me forever, or you'll do something smart for once and they will be taken from me forever.” Max whispered brokenly. In his mind there was no correct answer. 

David sighed. “Max they already told me what they did-” 

“Did you already do something stupid, David?” Max seethed pushing away from David’s chest and scowling up at the older man.

David shook his head solemnly. “No Max I haven’t done anything yet. I wanted to get your side of what happened before I called or did anything.” 

“Good cause nothing happened.” Max sneered.

“Max they abused you.” Max pushed away from David forcefully and stood up. 

“They did no such thing David!” Max bellowed. “Do you even know what abuse is? Because a friend giving you a kiss is definitely not it.” 

“It is when said friends not only kisses you, but then proceeds to touch you where you don’t want to be touched.” David said calmly. Max winced at the accusation. What kinda whore let themselves get felt up by their best friends. Max shook his head.

“No, abuse is when they don’t stop when you tell them to. It’s not their fault I was giving mixed signals. I mean what kinda tramp just lets their friends feel them up without saying anything.” Max explained as if talking to a five year old. David’s face comically changed from one of concern to one of horror. Slowly David stood as well hands out as if he was afraid Max would run again.

“Max. You don’t actually believe that do you?” David inquired apprehensively and making Max scoff.

“Believe what?” He asked aggressively.

“That you...deserved to have been...molested?” David asked slowly. 

David’s apprehension to the topic made Max roll his eyes. “No one deserves to be molested David.” Max explained in a monotone voice that didn't portray the warring emotions that were in his head. “That's why I told them to stop, and they did. So there’s nothing to talk about.” 

David put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly. “That doesn't make what happened ok.” David explained trying to catch Max’s eyes with his own but Max was stubbornly avoiding such contact. “I understand that you don't want to talk about it with me, but will you at least talk to Gwen about it? She finished her Masters in Psychology this year, I think she could really help.” 

Max took a step back from David. “I don't want to talk about it David. Not with you, not with anyone. Nothing happened.” This was not a good situation. David was bad enough, he could kick Nikki and Neil out of camp, talking to Gwen would be worse.

Gwen still worked as a part time councilor during the summer, but her actual job was as a social worker. A take kids away from their parents social worker. Max had no idea how she lived with herself. 

Social workers always gave him a bad vibe. What kinda person wanted to work in a job whose sole purpose was to take kids away from their parents? Yeah, Max realized that some kids had it really bad, like possibly being killed by their birth parents bad, or there were some situations where parents actually hated their kids in a honest to god kinda way. Sure those kids needed help and a social worker is great for those kids. But social workers also were known for taking children from loving homes as well. 

Indigenous people get it the worse. There is a long history of social workers taking their children because of a misunderstanding of culture or just because they were jackasses. Max’s mom has told him horror stories about aunts, uncles, and grandparents that were abused by the system and caused irreversible damage. There was no way Max was going to become one of the statistics. Between his mom being an indigenous person and his dad being of Indian descent there was a very large possibility he could be taken for any number of reasons. 

Yeah he wouldn’t be giving his parents a gold star for parents of the year or anything but at least they loved him. At least they said they loved him. Just because he gets hit a for being a fuck up every once in a while doesn’t mean they didn’t. They never really hurt him like he heard stories about. Kids getting molested, or beaten to a bloody pulp by jackass parents, that wasn’t Max’s life. 

Max’s parents were too busy to use him as their personal punching bag, they were rarely home at a decent time, so they would never spend the time they did have doing something stupid like beating him. They were more interested in spending time with each other and their friends. So what if Max came home almost everyday to an empty house, some weeks to an empty fridge, they were busy people, and there was always money for take out in the change drawer. 

No one needed to know that Max was more afraid when they were home than when they weren’t either. Yeah they didn’t beat on him regularly, but again if he’s done something stupid they sure as hell had heard about it, and they make it stick that he was never to do whatever it was again. He can thank them for helping him stay a B+ average student, they tried for an A average but Max is just too stupid to keep the grades up. They made sure he could be the best he could be and getting a broken arm when he got a C- that one time wasn’t their fault. No, if he wasn’t so stupid or so clumsy it would have never happened, and it was just one time. His parents loved him.

So no, talking to Gwen wasn’t an option. There was nothing wrong with Max’s home life, but he knew that’s not how others would see it. So he couldn’t slip up. He couldn’t even hint to people like Gwen or David that his home life was anything but fine. He knew he screwed that up sometimes, letting a little hint escape here or there, but if he talked to Gwen about emotional problems, possibly any real problem, something damning could happen and he didn’t want to be taken away. 

“Please Max, I’m sure she can help. I’m sure if you two talked she can help you with what ever baggage you might be carrying around. I know you don’t really like talking about your problems, but it’s not healthy to keep them all bottled up inside. Sometimes you just gotta let it all out and I’m sure you’ll feel so much better, she can help.” David pleaded with Max, obviously trying to help him understand that something as stupid as talking was going to somehow fix his problems instead of making them worse.

“Wow, geez David when you put it that way, it almost makes it seem like you don’t know the meaning of the word No.” Max sarcastically pointed out angrily. “At least Nikki and Neil understand the word No.” Max seethed. He hated David and his inability to understand boundaries.

“That’s not fair Max,” David sighed exasperated. “I’m just trying to help you, not hurt you.” 

“You know what will help me, David?” Max asked trying to keep his voice as sweet as possible despite the anger that David’s presence was causing him. 

“What Max?” David inquired as if he didn’t know the biting remark Max undoubtedly had for him. 

“For you to leave me the fuck alone!” Max roared. “I mean my god, why do you have to be such an idiot. Despite everything we’ve already said I’m no closer to admitting anything is wrong, because nothing is wrong, and you are still spouting stupid shit like ‘I should talk to Gwen about my problems.’ When was the last fucking time I talked to either of you about any of my problems?”

“Never.” David supplied, which almost surprised Max cause the question was obviously rhetorical.

“Argh, shut up stupid. Obviously the answer was never. But you never fail to butt your nose in business that’s not yours.” Max fumed.

“It’s sort of my job Max.” David answered again, Max was positive David was just trying to piss him off. 

“No it’s not!” Max barked. “Your job is to take care of this shitty camp, not fix everyone’s jacked up lives.”

David looked mad at that, as mad as Max’s first summer and the bonfire. “My Job, Max, is to take care of my campers, to make sure that they are happy, and to help them when they need help. I know I haven’t done the best I could when it comes to you especially Max. I know that your home life isn’t perfect and it manifests itself in your language and demeanor, but there’s not a lot I can do about that when you adamantly refuse to talk to anyone about it. That does not mean though that I will not try my damned hardest to help you when I can.” David looked like he wanted to shake Max and make him understand. Instead he gave out a loud sigh and sat back down on the log they had vacated long ago.

David rubbed his eyes tiredly before looking back at Max with a despondent face. “Nikki and Neil hurt you Max. You might not want to admit it to yourself but they did and they know it. They came crying to me as I was finishing up the tour for the new campers. We went into my office and they started explaining in hysterics what happened. How they were dating now, which good for them but you three obviously can’t stay in the same cabin now.” Max growled at the news but David held up a hand to stop Max’s outburst. 

“They suggested it Max. They asked if there was any empty bunks that they could stay in away from you and each other, or if they could set up some tents. Granted that was after they told me how they thought you were mad because they were dating, how Neil called you a homophobe and you punched him in the face, how you started crying and they thought it was because you might love them back, how they hoped it was because you loved them back, and then how they proceeded to molest you. How you froze up and asked them to let go and then how you ran away, which they assumed was to here.” David stopped talking and stared at Max watching his reaction. 

Max had listened to David with only a half an ear, getting mad that Nikki and Neil thought they could just leave him, but also getting really hung up on a different part of David's story. “They thought my reaction was because I loved them?” Max asked incredulously. “Why would they think a stupid thing like that?”

David looked at Max with reservation before giving a small shrug. “Honestly I wouldn’t have been surprised I always thought it was cute how much the three of you seem to have a crush on eachother.” 

Max looked at David with abject horror. “I do not have a crush on Neil and Nikki.” Max felt like he was going to be sick. “Ugh, David that’s so… No god damn it they’re my best friends, why would I ever think about them that way.” Max was pacing now thinking about this particular dilemma, something that has been bothering him now since everything that happened in the cabin without him really knowing it till David spelt it out for him. “I mean I get that they are...whatever but I never- Wait.” Max turned to David and pointed at him with dawning realization. “How fucking long have they had a crush on me?” Max beseeched. 

David shook his head. “Max, that’s not something I can really tell you. Beginning on the outside I can’t really say when you guys started crushing on each other.”

Max glared at David for his bullshit answer. “Don’t give me that Camp Man. How long since you noticed? Last year? Longer than last year?”

“Max-” David started before getting cut off.

“Answer the damn question, David!”

David sighed and held up his hands trying to pacify the boy. “Admittedly I’m pretty sure Neil has always had a crush on you, Nikki I noticed having a crush on both of you three summers ago, and Neil returned Nikki’s crush last year I think.” 

Max stared at David for a long time. He didn’t know what to do with the new information, so he just said, “Holy Shit!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed it. I really love this story and hope you do too. Thanks for reading.


	3. The Problems with Overthinking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just Note: I Updated the previous chapters, you don't need to re-read them but I did add a few things. Mostly though it was just fixing obvious grammar mistakes that I seriously should have noticed but didn't.  
> 

Max was having a shit ending to an already shitty day. 

After the little revelation about how long his friends might have had a crush on him Max and David sat in silence for a little while longer until Max started getting hungry. His parents had forgotten to get him breakfast before they dropped Max off at the camp and he was at the clearing during lunch, so it was no wonder he was getting hungry now. It would probably be best for him to grab some dinner so he didn’t end the day hungry as well as angry and miserable.

“David let’s get going. I don’t want to miss dinner.” Max said as he got up and dusted himself off.

“Right, sounds like a plan, let’s go to the Mess.” David exclaimed quickly getting up as well and walking off in the direction of the camp. 

By the time they got back dinner was already over, but David was more than happy to fix something up for them to eat. Max had then expected David to bring him to whatever troupe of kids he was expected to spend the summer with, until the three trouble makers wandered off and did whatever they wanted to do at least, but David didn’t do that. Instead Max was stuck with him all day. 

First David helped him set up one of the old tents to stay in instead of the cabin. The thought of sleeping in the cabin was less than ideal to Max now. So when David asked what he wanted to do about sleeping arrangements Max told him that setting up a tent for himself would work fine. Nikki and Neil apparently were thinking along the same lines and had already set up two tents in the old clearing where all the tents used to be set up when they were younger. 

Max wanted to set his up next to them but David made sure Max’s was as far as possible. This pissed Max off but he didn’t put up as much of a fight as he usually would with David, he was too tired. He would have definitely prefered to be closer to his friends, yeah right now they were having a bit of a misunderstanding but Max was sure it would blow over soon. Their disagreements never lasted long, and Max would prefer not to have to move the tent closer when that time came. But Max wanted to pick his battles and just did as David suggested instead, he would worry about moving when that time came.

“Are you sure you don't want to stay in the cabin Max?” David asked for the millionth time since he and Max had started setting up the tent.

“Stupid, we’ve already been over this. That cabin is too big for just one person to stay in. And I sure as hell don't want to be the one to do it while Nikki and Neil can't. Honestly David, they should be able to still use it.” Max explained as he finished hammering one of the last tent stakes.

“I can't do that Max. I coulda looked the other way if things were different, but now-”

“Yeah, yeah I get it. Your moral compass won't let you. God forbid they do something like *gasp* have sex! Good thing you made them stay in separate tents right next to each other, jackass.” Max quipped gesturing to the two tent across the way. 

“Yes, well I wasn’t here when they were setting up so there isn’t much I can do about that now.” David explained with a smile as if he was doing some huge favor for them. Max couldn’t say David wasn’t but still.

“You’re a giant hypocrite, you know that right.” Max groaned already done with David’s shit for the year. “Just let them stay in the cabin, it’s already ours and they shouldn’t be getting in trouble for my shitty mistake.”

“Max, you didn’t do anything wrong, we’ve been over this.” David explained once more sounding a tad exasperated with Max taking on the blame for something that clearly wasn’t his fault. 

“Shut up David.” Max grumbled refusing to accept the notion that Nikki or Neil did anything wrong. While Max understood that’s how everyone else must see it Max just couldn’t or wouldn’t see it that way. Max was the problem child, not Nikki nor Neil, so of course it must have been his fault. Anything else just wouldn’t make sense. 

When they finished getting the tent together David continued to drag him around. Next to check on other counselors and to make sure they were doing all right on the first day, then to check on the new Magic Camp Castle that David had built this year and to make sure everything was running smoothly, and then finally to help the quartermaster set up a bonfire David had planned in celebration for the first day of camp. By the end of that Max was exhausted. He’s never had such an active first day at camp, usually he would just grab Nikki and Neil and they would go off somewhere to cause havoc or just chill at their spot on the lake and catch up. 

But this year, it was like David didn’t want Max two feet away from him and would grab his arm every time he would try to make a break for it. He was weirdly precise in when Max was about to bolt too. It made Max wonder if David had always known when Max was planning on running off or if they had grown to know each other too well over the years.

By the time he was done running around the camp with David he was more than happy to just doze during the bonfire celebration as David did his stupid song and dance. He was so tired that he didn’t even notice that neither Nikki nor Neil had come up to him during the whole shindig until it was over. Max tried to catch them on the way to their tents but by the time he got to the clearing both Nikki and Neil were already in their respective tents with the front flaps zipped up. 

Max just stared at the two tents and grabbed his arm squeezing hard without really noticing. He’s never been so unsure about his standing on any situation than he did right then. Usually when Max wanted either Neil’s or Nikki’s attention he would have no problem with just entering their tent, zip be damned. He never thought he would be turned away, even if Neil wanted to be alone with his computer Max was more than welcome to just sit quietly in a corner and leave Neil to it till he was ready to be sociable again. But right then, Max didn’t feel wanted at all. 

If he was to barge in on either of them, well first off he couldn’t be sure that he wouldn’t walk into something he really didn’t want to see, but besides that he didn’t think they wanted to see him right now either. Which wasn’t hard to believe, Max almost ruined their summer. They could have been kicked out because of what he did. They could still be kicked out, technically they were on thin ice even if David said that he wasn’t going to. Staring at the tents he let out an audible groan and dragged his nails against the back of his neck, this was all his fault for acting like a whore. 

Max didn’t notice that he was practically hunched over himself from his self doubt about the whole situation until a hand landed on his shoulder and made him jump out of his skin. Quickly turning to see David behind him Max visibly relaxed. “What the hell David, aren’t we done yet? I’m exhausted I was hoping to get some sleep.” Max snapped trying to cover up how badly the older man had surprised him.

“I’m sorry Max,” David apologize while fidgeting looking worried. “I just didn’t see you leave the bonfire and wanted to make sure you got to your tent alright.”

Max scowled at him. “I’m not ten anymore David, I can find my tent on my own.”

“Well of course still, I just wanted to make sure you were safe.” David replied with a smile. “Now it’s lights out so get to your tent young man and get some shut eye. You’re going to want to be ready tomorrow, we’re going to have so much fun!” 

“Yeah, right.” Max grumbled as he made his way to his tent. “See you tomorrow David.” Max called waving over his shoulder to the older man ignoring his call of, “Goodnight, don’t let the bedbugs bite.”

When Max entered the tent he couldn’t help but stand just beyond the opening without moving towards the cot in the room. Max felt weird being in the tent by himself. Ever since he was ten he’s always had at least Neil with him to keep him company. To be in the tent by himself just made the space, which was meant for two, feel huge. He was now happier than ever to have chosen the tent over the cabin. He couldn’t imagine having a space designed for four people to be occupied by just himself or worse yet with him and people besides Nikki and Neil.

Sighing Max went over and sat on his cot. He was exhausted, but his insomnia was catching up to him and he just knew that even if he did get ready for bed there was no way he was going to sleep. His head was going a mile a minute, he just couldn’t get the thoughts of what happened between himself, Nikki, and Neil out of his mind. 

Did he like Neil and Nikki? Of course he did. Did he love them? Well if you asked him that yesterday he would have said yes, but he wouldn’t have even thought you were asking if he loved them romantically. So did he love them romantically? … Well … he guessed it means something that he couldn’t just say no, but by that logic it must mean something that he can’t just say yes either.

When were people supposed to get crushes and start wanting to date people anyways? If what David said was true Neil started when he was at least ten and Nikki when he was twelve. So what, was he just a late bloomer? Was this one of those things that some people experience sooner than others? 

Max guessed that would make sense, Neil did always act and look much older than both Max and Nikki even though he wasn’t by more than a few months. So if crushes were based on some level with hormones then it would kinda make sense that Neil would be the first to have a crush. But at the same time Max kinda doubted that’s how something like having a crush worked as a whole. It couldn’t just be a product of hormones because it’s not like Max wasn’t having puberty, thus if it was one would assume that he should have had at least a minor crush by now.

Max laid on his cot, not bothering to remove his sweater or shoes, or bothering to get under the sheets. He was still thinking cause it just dawned on him. He’s never had a crush. Yeah he’s had girls come up to him and say ‘you’re cute’ and the like, and maybe they had a crush on him, but Max himself couldn’t say that he had ever really had a crush on anyone. 

Really Max couldn’t say that he ever really found humans all that attractive. Yeah looking at a nice pair of titts online is one thing, but in real life Max didn’t look at girls that way. Did that make him bi? Well maybe, but that didn’t really make sense either. Max didn’t really look at guys that way either, technically even less so because it’s not like he even watched gay porn. Did that make him straight? Well yeah, god duh. 

Max groaned and grabbed his head in frustration. They’ve got him over think everything now. Obviously he’s just straight and he hasn’t found what he’s interested in yet. 

To think that he could be gay was just him trying to make his friends happy, when obviously that’s not how this works, you can’t make yourself attracted to people when you’re not. 

Thinking on the whole interaction earlier in the cabin just solidified Max’s conviction. If he was attracted to either Nikki or Neil then obviously he would have thought what they were doing felt good. Right? If he was attracted to them he would have thought that the kisses were nice and the groping felt good. But Max didn’t. If anything Max was disgusted by the whole interaction. It skeeved him out and he did not want a repeat. Such a reaction is obviously because he was getting that kind of attention from people he wasn’t attracted to. Right? 

Yes, that makes perfect sense. If you’re not attracted to people and they started groping you of course you are going to have a bad time.

Relaxing Max kicked off his shoes and started getting ready for sleep. He was overthinking the situation. Tomorrow he’ll just find Nikki and Neil say, ‘Sorry for leading you two on but I just don’t like you like that.’ Then they can continue being friends like nothing ever happened. 

He just didn’t love Nikki and Neil. That’s all.

As Max settled in for sleep his mind couldn’t help but unhelpfully supply, _But that is a lie. You do love Nikki and Neil._

Max couldn’t help but give an audible sigh at the words in his own head. What the fuck was that supposed to mean. He just went over how he did love Nikki and Neil in a platonic way, just not a romantic way. So in the end he didn’t love Nikki and Neil in the way they loved him, thus to just make things easier for everyone he should just say, ‘Nikki, Neil, I don’t love you.’

_… But that’s a lie!_

Sitting up Max grabbed his head and groaned. What the fuck was going on. Why was he having such a hard time with this. The answer is fucking obvious. He’s not in love with Nikki and Neil, if he was he wouldn’t have any problem with letting them fuck him. 

Max shuddered at the thought and felt nauseous. Yes, he knew what sex was and no he’s never participated in any sense, outside of masterbating to porn and as a growing boy that is perfectly normal. So he knew what was involved in process of having sex with another person. But god imagining Nikki or Neil doing that to him, ugh that’s just wrong. Anyone putting their mouth on his dick or him putting it in any hole, or ehg imagine if he went down on a girl that’s just, euck. Horrible thoughts, these are horrible thoughts.

Shaking his head Max tried to stop himself from thinking about sex in general. The whole thing was just supper gross. Sure, he’ll watch it but imagining engaging in it himself. Yeah, no thanks. 

“That’s probably just because you haven’t tried it out idiot.” Max mumbled to himself. Which made sense. But didn’t he just try some of it, and it freaked him out so much that he ran like a pussy. “But that’s just because you aren’t attracted to them.” But he’s never been attracted to anyone. Max growled and pounded his head, “Shut up, shut up, shut up.” He hissed. He was driving himself crazy. He needed to do something, he had to occupy his mind away from the here and now.

Standing Max put his shoes back on, sans socks and walked out of his tent. Maybe a walk would help. It wasn’t until the sun started shining that Max made it back to his tent. He was a mess. His mind just went into loops thinking the same things over and over and getting nowhere new. When Max got back to his tent he grabbed a few toiletries before making his way to the showers. He cleaned up a bit and got ready to start a new and exhausting day.

Max was up way before anyone else so after he had gotten ready Max made his way to the pier. He figured he could wait there for everyone else to start getting up, he had no fear of missing breakfast or anything else because David always checked the grounds before waking up the rest of the campers so he would surely see Max. 

Max wasn’t disappointed. “Hey Max, ready to start a brand new fun filled day?” The over enthusiastic man asked when he spotted him. Max looked over his shoulder at David before getting up and making his way over. David’s face obviously went from overly chipper to strained around the corners. Max must have looked like hell.

“Yeah, yeah. Is everyone already eating breakfast?” Max asked.

“You betcha.” David confirmed as he led Max back to the Mess Hall. “You were the last face I needed to find.”

Yawning Max made his way inside, grabbed some food and went to sit with Neil and Nikki only to see that they weren’t there. Confused Max looked up at David, “You missed Nikki and Neil,” he scoffed and went to sit at an empty table, expecting to wait for David to go get his friends. What he didn’t expect was for David to sit next to him instead. 

“Nope, they already left with their troupe for an early morning activity.” David chirped.

Max scowled. “Huh, that reminds me. Who am I supposed to be with this year anyways, you kept me so busy yesterday you forgot to show me what troupe I’m supposed to avoid.” Max commented.

“Well,” David started looking nervous. Max already didn’t like where this was going. “I was thinking maybe you could hang out with me today.” David supplied happily. 

Max was lazily picking at his food before this comment and stopped afterwards. He looked slowly at David before seething. “What do you mean? Why the fuck would I want to do that?” 

“Well I just thought, this is your last year wouldn’t it just be a ball to hang out together we could do a lot of fun stuff-”

“Shut the fuck up, David.” Max swore. “Why the hell would I want to do that? What are Neil and Nikki in my troupe and you won’t switch me to another, or can’t or something? Are you seriously trying to keep me away from my friends or are you really this stupid?”

“Max please,” David said holding up his hands trying to placate Max. “I’m just trying to do what’s best for you-”

“No, you're not.” Max growled “You’re just trying to keep me from my friends. Well you can’t keep that up forever moron.” With that Max stood leaving his barely touched breakfast behind and stormed out of the Mess Hall. He heard David call out to him but he didn’t stop and he didn’t slow down. Once outside he ran. He didn’t have a particular destination in mind. The clearing wasn’t so safe anymore now that he knew David knew where it was and that would probably be one of the first places he would look. So Max just ran in the woods, not fearing getting lost after spending summer after summer here exploring with Nikki and Neil.

It wasn’t long until he had slowed to a walk and just started wandering aimlessly. What a shit morning. 

Max stomped around in the wood thinking that this walk would be just as uneventful as his last one until he started hearing talking. Usually he would have avoided the voices but right now he was bored and his curiosity got the better of him. As Max got closer to whatever troup was having fun in this particular neck of the woods he couldn’t believe his luck when he heard Nikki yell about some sort of frog or something that caught his attention. Smiling happily Max made his way over to his friends. 

When Max finally found the troupe he noticed that Nikki and Neil were at the back of the group. That wasn’t too surprising cause the three of them always took up the rear. It was easier to talk to each other without being overheard or to sneak off if they stayed further to the back, which was what usually happened. It happened so often in fact that whatever troupe leader they had was instructed to not freak out if they ever went missing.

“There you guys are.” Max muttered as he walked in between his two friends he placed a hand on each of their wrists, they stopped automatically. It was their sign when they wanted to get away. It was something that they came up with a long time ago. No matter what they were doing if one of them touched another's wrist they would stop and at least acknowledge each other. Depending on the situation the acknowledgement might mean different things, but during a hike it meant: stop, wait for the rest of the troupe to leave, and let’s go somewhere else. 

When the troupe was far enough away Max started to lead them in a different direction. “Ugh finally,” Max exclaimed happily. “I thought I would never find you guys. Come on let's get out of here.” Max said excitedly as he practically dragged his friends away. He only got so far before they stopped moving.

“Max?” Nikki exclaimed obviously confused about what he was doing. “What are you doing here I thought David said-”

“Uhg really?” Max groaned as he tugged their arms in the direction of their clearing. He just wanted some alone time with his two best friends, was that too much to ask for? “I really don’t care what the fuck David says it’s been almost twenty-four hours now I haven’t had a moment alone with you two since. Common, let's get out of here.” Max insisted but the two still didn’t budge.

“Max,” Neil started looking apprehensive and Max could tell by the way that they were looking at him that he wasn’t going to like whatever came out of Neil’s mouth. “We really shouldn’t.” Max knew anger was clearly showing on his face with Neil’s words. “David said that we need to give you some time and that you were confused about some stuff. He wants you to talk with Gwen before we are alone with you.” Max still had his friends arms and squeezed at Neil’s declaration, making his friends flinch slightly but they didn’t complain. 

“Excuse me?” Max asked coldly. “What exactly am I supposed to be confused about.” 

“Everything that happened yesterday, we’ve talked to her and she said somethings that have really helped us out, you should give it a try.” Nikki said enthusiastically, but started to try and remove her arm when Max’s grip got tighter again. “Max-”

“Are you serious? What is with you two, do you just blab about everything?” Max seethed. “It’s bad enough that you ran to David right after I left you two, but now you’re talking to Gwen?” 

“Max stop,” Neil exclaimed as he put a hand to Max’s face. This made Max flinch so badly that he dropped both their arms and took several steps back. Neil looked stricken by Max’s reaction while Nikki just cradled the arm Max had held. Max winced when he saw the red hand print left on his friends’ skin, he really hoped those didn’t bruise. “Max, please, just talk to Gwen. When you do we will be more than happy to do whatever you want, right now, you’re just not ready ok.” Neil explained trying to sound as supportive as he could.

Max just shook his head dismayed. “You’re really not going to talk to me until after I’ve talked to Gwen?” 

“She can help Max.” Nikki tried to explain just as unsuccessfully as Neil had. Max was unimpressed and stuffed his hands in his hoodie pocket, god knows he didn’t want to grab his friends again, he had no intention of hurting them, even though it was possible that he already had.

But overall Max was just confused. He had no idea what was going on with the three of them. Just yesterday he was more than excited to see them, and them him if the text messages were anything to go by. But now in the span of just a few hours Max couldn’t help but think that they hated him, and he had no idea why. “Why are you two punishing me?” Max asked not fully in control of his own question.

Neil and Nikki looked confused. 

“What are you talking about?” Neil asked slowly. “We’re not trying to punish you Max. We just want you to be ok, and Nikki and I, we can’t make sure you are ok by ourselves. You need to talk to an adult Max.” He said pleadingly. “You need to talk about what happened and how it made you feel. By all accounts Nikki and I should be on our way back home right now because of what we did, but David is worried that if he sends us away you would do something regrettable. No one wants that.”

Max just stared off to the side at some patch of dirt not too far away from his left foot. “Regrettable.” Technically Neil nor Nikki explained why they hated him all of a sudden but it did make sense to some degree why they wanted him to talk to Gwen. Doing something regrettable was code for, ‘we’re afraid you are suicidal’ which honestly wasn’t too far off the mark when it came to Max on just a regular day. No, he’s never tried to commit suicide, in Max’s mind committing suicide was worse than crying. If you were a child for crying you were a fucking coward for committing suicide, and if there was one thing that Max has always prided himself on it was that he wasn’t a fucking coward. So no, he’s never thought of actually committing suicide, he just can't wait for the sweet oblivion that will be the eternal nothingness of death. It calls to him, but he would never actively seek it out. I was a very fine rope he walked. “So now you think I’m some sort of coward that would commit suicide?”

“Max, you’re scaring me.” Nikki said softly stepping a bit closer but Max took a step back and glared at his friends.

“Scaring you, why the fuck would I be scaring you?” Max hissed. “I haven’t done anything to you two and you’re over there insinuating that I would commit suicide? How the fuck does that make sense.” 

“Max we never-”

“Cut the shit, Neil.” Max interrupted. “‘David’s worried you would do something regrettable.’ That’s what you said. You know that’s code for ‘He’s scared you’ll commit suicide.’” Max mocked using his best interpretation he could manage of Neil’s voice. “Tsk, fuck that noise. Suicide is for cowards, I’m not a fucking coward.” 

“Max please we just-”

“Shut the fuck up Nikki!” Max roared. He was just so mad at them right now. He just wanted to get back to normal. He just wanted to put it all behind them and move on. Why did they have to live in the past, it’s not like it mattered. Something so stupid should not be the end of their friendship, and it wouldn’t be. “Fine. You win ok. You don’t want to move past this stupid shit until after I talk to Gwen? Fine, I’ll talk to Gwen. Are you happy?” Max exclaimed.

Neil and Nikki stared at Max a moment and then Neil said a quiet, “Yes.” 

Max let out a small growl and spun on his heel stomping away from his friends. Fine if they wanted him to talk to Gwen so bad he would. Right the fuck now. Max knew she was around today he just had to find her. As he was making his way to the Counselor's Cabin he ran into David who looked worriedly at Max’s fuming face and cautiously asked what was wrong. Instead of giving a real answer Max just asked where Gwen was. This obviously made David happy and he led him right to her.


	4. If you won't talk, I will

The Counselor's Cabin is much smaller than it used to be. Once it was just for Gwen and David to relax and sleep, now it held four offices. The counselors had different cabins to sleep and get ready in closer to the campers, which was needed as the camp expanded. That left the original Counselor Cabin with an office for HR, one for enrollment, one for bookkeepers, and the final room was David’s office. But David rarely if ever used it due to him being a more hands on owner, so he shared it with Gwen who used it as a space to talk with campers if they needed an ear and counseling. 

That’s where Max sat now. When he ran into David and told him to take him to go see Gwen David just brought him here and told him to wait. Gwen wasn’t there due to having her own campers to look after so David was going to switch with her and take over her troupe while she talked to Max. At first Max just sat in the chair that was placed in front of the desk in the office, but then his ADHD and nerves got the better of him and he started walking around. 

This frustrated him because there was absolutely no reason to be so nervous about talking to Gwen of all people. Who cares if she worked for social services, that’s not why he was here. He was here because Nikki and Neil were obviously avoiding him, and they said they would continue to do so until he talked to her. 

Talk about twisting his arm. 

What was he supposed to say to that? No, go fuck yourselves? He can’t do that otherwise he’s down two friends, making the number of people he actually cared about to be a grand total of zero. Yeah, some choice in the matter he had.

Eventually Max found himself behind David’s desk rummaging through paperwork, opening drawers, moving things around, spinning in the desk swivel chair, and throwing things that looked important away. He was bored so sue him. Fortunately for David, Gwen came in before he could figure out how to open one of the only draws on his desk that actually had lock.

“Max,” Gwen said eyeing him suspiciously. “What are you doing?”

Max eyed her suspiciously right back. Gwen was using some sort of fake airy voice, her psych courses probably told her such a voice would put her patients at ease. Max almost scoffed, he was not one of her patients and he did not appreciate the fakeness she was presenting him with.

Max let go of the draw handle he was previously holding and showed her his hands. “Nothing now. Took you long enough, I thought I was going to die of boredom. What does David have in that drawer?” Max asked as he looked at the drawer suspiciously and relaxed into the desk chair he was already occupying. He wasn’t moving from this spot, why should he. The power dynamic of him being behind the desk and Gwen being in front eased him, made him feel more in control of the situation, even though he knew he really wasn’t. 

“That’s none of your business.” Gwen answered simply as she went to sit in front of him, not even commenting on the seating arrangement. “So David said you wanted to talk to me.” Gwen started simply. Leaving the rest of the floor open for Max to take the conversation in whatever direction he wanted. 

“Yeah, I had one question for you Gwen.” Max started. “Was it you, or was it David who first thought I was suicidal?” 

Gwen almost pulled off the ‘I’m not surprised you know that’ look, but her small knowing smile was enough of a tip for Max to know his opening question had thrown her at least a little. “Who said anything about you being suicidal Max?” Gwen ventured. It just made Max scoff.

“Cut the act Gwen,” Max snapped. “Apparently Neil and Nikki can’t keep a fucking secrete to save their lives. They told me David was concerned that I would snap if he made them go home, but call me crazy that sounds more like the assumptions of an aspiring psychologist more than the detective skills of the Camp Man. So spill, what do I have to do to make you lay off and tell David I’m fucking fine already. I’d like to get back to the regular scheduled programming called enjoying my summer by causing as much mayhem and destruction that I can before I leave forever.” Max asked bored while spinning in the chair.

“Well Max, what about one hour talks every day for the next week?” Gwen compromised simply. “If you talk to me for one hour each day for the next seven days I’ll tell David you’re fine and not to worry.” 

Max eyed her suspiciously. “Why the fuck would I do that?” Max asked incredulously. “I’m not the one on trial here, I have absolutely nothing to tell you. So again why would I want to spend an hour here talking to you of all people?”

Gwen just gave Max a patient smile. She got calmer in her old age, Max suspected she was on some sort of pill for her anxiety. “You’re right Max,” she started. “ You’re not in trial here, but don't you think it would help you to talk to someone about your problems?” Max shivered at her tone, it reminded him too much of Daniel and his false concern and encouragement. Max will never forget what that man put them all through five years ago, seeing a cultist in action was terrifying.

“Stop that Gwen.” Max scowled. “You’re crap at the comforting manipulation you're trying to pull off here. I don't like psychologIsts and you’re little act isn't going to make you more appealing to me right now.”

Rolling her eyes Gwen visibly relaxed in the chair she was occupying. “Yeah, I should have know the professional approach wouldn't work on you.” She said more at ease. “Look Max, no bs, you need to talk to someone, at least about what happened yesterday and that’s what I’m here to do. To listen and to help you where I can.” 

“I hear you're a social worker now,” Max said untactfully changing topics. “How many kids have you taken from loving families so far.” He sneered without any real bite.

“Or we could talk about your own home life,” Gwen said simply losing some professionalism and obviously pushing for a reaction. “So how are your mother and father treating you, Max?” 

Max growled at her, “Shut up Gwen.” 

“You know next year I’m going for my PhD. I have been thinking, for my dissertation I could do ‘How to tell when a young boy is being abused by his parents.’ It would be a case study.” 

Max was not amused by the turn of events, “Shut your whore mouth Gwen-”

“You alone have given me plenty to work with. You keep acting out but at the same time acting as if you're fine. You seek attention but push people away. You continue to insist that nothing is wrong at home but that bruised eye you came to camp with last year spoke a different story, as did the cast the year before that, and the hand print on your neck the year before that-”

“I said shut up Gwen! Shut the hell up!” Max screeched as he stood up from the chair and slammed his hands on the desk in front of him. Gwen instantly fell silent at his outburst and watched him gasping for breath silently. All Max could think of was, ‘Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit. They knew they all knew. And they never actually did anything.’ The thought enraged Max but he tried to stay calm. The next thought he had was, ‘Don't incriminate yourself.’

Taking a deep breath Max sat back down. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Max finally commented.

Gwen visibly rolled her eyes with a small sigh, “Of course you don’t-”

“That being said!” Max continued over her. “Like I said at the beginning, I have no idea what we are actually supposed to talk about.” Max started swiveling in the desk chair as he looked at the ceiling. Trying desperately to give an air that he didn’t care, that the words that were just spoken moments ago didn’t rattle him. 

“That’s ok, if you don’t know where to start. I can talk instead about what I do know. About what Nikki and Neil have already told me.” Gwen stated easily. “According to Nikki, they started dating about 5 months ago.” Gwen started going over, making Max tense up. 

He really didn’t want her to continue but at the same time didn’t want to stop her. This was actually a really good place to start. He wanted to know what was in his friends heads, and seeing as they weren’t about to talk to him he guessed having Gwen speak for them was his next best bet. So he stayed quiet, not taking his eyes off the ceiling, and just listening to Gwen drone on.

“Apparently, it started because they were both talking about you.” Max tensed even more. “They both started talking about how they thought you were cute. You apparently sent them a selfie or something that just made them swoon, for lack of a better word, and they just started talking about it amongst themselves.” Max felt sick, clammy, and just plain nauseous. His friends were talking about what he looked like in a selfie he took? That was, gross. Max scowled at the ceiling but let Gwen continue. 

“They both knew that they had a crush on you for years now. Apparently Neil for the longest amount of time, but he didn’t really notice it until about a three years ago. That’s when Nikki started having feeling for you as well. They connected with their mutual agreement about you being very attractive and that neither of them wanted to broach the subject with you due to their fear that you didn’t feel the same. They were convinced that you would think they were gross and leave.” Gwen explained and Max couldn’t help think his friends were some of the stupidest ass hats on the entire planet. 

On some level they might have been right. It certainly would have made their relationship more strained if had known before that his two best friends had a crush on him, but for them to think that he would reject them fully was just stupid. They were the best things that has ever happened to Max, there was no way that he would give them up willingly. Even if things became strained, as he was sure it was going to become, he would always fight tooth and nail for them. He loved them, on some level at least.

“Eventually their talks about you switched to talks about each other. How they cared deeply for each other and ultimately how they would like trying to date each other. As you know they live relatively close to each other so they have similar haunts and started making some of their regular meet ups into actual dates-” 

“What?” Max interrupted. He was thrown for a loop. ‘Regular meet ups’? What was Gwen talking about? They never met up outside of Camp. 

“They started with going to movies together,” Gwen continued as if she hadn’t hear Max.

“Wait.” Max tried again more distressed, what was she talking about? Nikki and Neil saw each other outside of Camp? No, that- That couldn’t be right. Why would they never have invited him?

“Their first kiss was about a month after their first date. After they went to get dinner together at an Olive Garden.” That weird feeling was bubbling up inside Max again. The same one that surfaced when he saw Nikki and Neil holding hands. What was going on, why was Gwen making shit up, why was she making it seem like Nikki and Neil acted like he didn’t exist outside of camp? As if they wouldn’t invite him to hang out if they all could?

Max scowled at Gwen. “What are you talking about?” Max seethed. “We never see each other outside of Camp, we can’t.” Max growled at Gwen. “What is this you poor attempt at making me jealous or something? Making up a bull shit story about how my friends are meeting up without me on such a regular basis that they decided to start date nights?” Max scoffed. “Nice try Gwen but that’s definitely a lie. Why wouldn’t they invite me to these meet ups before they started dating?” 

Gwen almost looked surprised. “Oh wait, you didn’t know?” Gwen asked confused. The conviction in her voice almost threw Max, but he wasn’t about to let her get the better of him.

“Oh, no, Gwen. I know when I’m being lied to, and while I don’t exactly know what your endgame is here I do know that this whole story is made up. There’s no way that Nikki and Neil would go around meeting each other behind my back like that. They would have asked me to join at least a few times.” Max said with conviction crossing his arm. He was done talking about this. 

Even still there was a small voice in the back of his head that said. ‘They didn’t tell you that they started dating five months ago, who’s to say that they would invite you to hang out with them after camp. Maybe you all aren’t as close as you thought you were.’ Max shook his head lightly to get rid of the thoughts. No that was stupid. They were the best things that have ever happened to Max, Gwen was just lying to him to make him jealous or something else stupid. Well it wasn’t working.

“I’m sorry Max,” Gwen said looking a bit dismayed. “The way they talked about it. I assumed you knew they hung out?”

“They don’t, stop lying.” Max said with finality.

Gwen just gave a small shake of her head. “Is that how you deal with most things that bother you Max?” Gwen started going back into psychiatry mode. “Ignore the things that don’t fit the narrative you have going on, pretend that they don’t happen, that they’re not real?” She concluded.

“What are you talking about?” Max groaned. “You and your psycho babel are starting to get annoying. Things are true regardless of whether or not people believe it. If you want to insist that this lie you having going on is true, I’ll just talk to Nikki and Neil about it later. They’ll confirm that it’s an obvious lie and we can all move on so shut up about it.”

“Right, we can get back to that later.” Gwen sighed but continued on. “Anyways, after a few dates they apparently felt they were in too deep to bring it up to you over text. They both seemed to agree that if they were upfront with you from the beginning it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but on one hand Neil was afraid you would get mad and not show up to camp, and Nikki just thought you would yell at them and avoid them. Both situation they weren’t fond of.”

“Why would they think that?” Max asked curiously under his breath. He frowned while he contemplate his friends. It almost sounded like they didn’t know him at all. Yell at them? Avoid them? Both scenarios were more ridiculous than the other. Yes, Max would be disappointed but really? Max couldn’t think of a single instance where these things would have happened if they had told him off the bat. 

“Um, the Nurf and Preston fiasco a few years ago. You remember that, right? They do and the way they talk about it is like they think you will blow up on them if they make a wrong step.” Gwen probed looking a bit perturbed.

Yeah, Max remembered that. Two years ago Preston and Nurf came out and told everyone they were dating. Max was instantly suspicious because he seemed to be the only one to remember the incident that happened, by that point three summers ago, with the platypus eggs. Max would never forget the black eye Preston tried to hide with a pair of cheap sunglasses and the cry for help. So when Max later saw a bruise on Preston’s arm Max intervened.

He went to talk to Preston alone about it which resulted in a barrage of half assed excuses and sidestepping the issue. It wasn’t long before Nurf caught Max being nosey and tried to make him back off. Max always tried not to let violence be his default in situations that made him angry, he wasn’t a monster, but the whole situation met a head when Nurf pushed Max and told him to mind his own business. Adding something about Nurf being able to treat his things however he wanted. 

Max flipped, next thing he knew David was physically restraining him as he was yelling profanities at Nurf. How dare Nurf call Preston a _thing_ and to hit someone you claimed to love was disgusting. Max wasn’t letting Nurf get away with it. In the end Nurf's face was a mess and Max’s arm was fractured. Gwen was trying to help Nurf who seemed to be passed out and bleeding profusely. Preston all the while was crying close by.

Eventually, Nikki and Neil showed up and wrestled Max into his and Neil’s tent. Trying to understand what had happened. Max doesn’t remembering saying anything particularly damning at the time. Yelling about how everyone was so blind as to not notice that Preston and Nurf were in an abusive relationship. How Preston visibly flinched near Nurf and had a bruise that he couldn’t seem to explain. 

Nikki and Neil seemed to not believe him as he continued. Asking him stupid questions like, ‘How do you know Nurf gave Preston the bruise,’ from Neil and Nikki saying, ‘But Preston flinches all the time.’ Eventually Max got fed up grabbed his coffee mug from a nearby table and threw it at a vertical steel pole that supported the tent. This made them both flinch and step back from the broken porcelain.

“Get out!” Max remembered yelling at them. “If you don’t fucking believe me, if you are just as stupid and blind as everyone else, then get the fuck out!”

It was only much later as he was washing the blood off his hands that he noticed what a raving lunatic he must have looked like. It was the worse argument Max ever remembered having with Nikki and Neil at the time, as one sided of an argument as it was. He didn’t like yelling at them, and he definitely didn’t like them looking at him like he was going to hurt them. Both things were a first on that day. 

Preston did end up telling Gwen and David that Nurf was in fact abusing him that day and Nurf was taken away somewhere. Max never cared enough to figure out what exactly happened. For the rest of that summer Preston was pretty peeved at Max for getting involved, but ended up thanking Max before the summer ended. Max acted like it was no big deal but he thought it was pretty nice and they’ve kept in touch through the years.

Max came back from his thoughts and stared at Gwen. “Well, that’s just fucked up.” Max said simply as he discreetly looked at the clock above the door; fifteen minutes left. “The two situations aren’t even remotely similar. One was on the basis of me trying to tell them Preston was in an abusive relationship. This situation is about Nikki and Neil making each other happy. I’m happy for them.” Max explained.

“Are you happy for them?” Gwen asked seriously. “Because you demeanor seemed to make them think otherwise. They said you were very standoffish when they got off the bus. That you closed them off completely and just plain acted strange. Neil said on the way yo the cabin you were practically running away from them.” She continued. “I mean common Max, you punched Neil in the face.” 

“Neil tried to call me a homophobe.” Max defended. “Me! A homophobe. What a fucking bunch of bullshit.” He huffed as he crossed his arms. “Who was the one who talked to him over the phone for hours on end about him being gay, trying to support him and comfort him when he started feeling like shit because some insensitive prick wanted to make fun of him. I bought him a fucking bus ticket to Nikki’s place just incase the talk with his parents went downhill, both times. I’ve been there for him through thick and thin. Yeah I wish it was more on a physical level, but I do what I can. Sure it would have been nice if it was safe to send him a bus ticket to my place, but they knew my heart was in the right place by getting money to send him to Nikki’s at least.” Max ranted annoyed that his friends would seemingly remember the bad but not the good. “I mean my God Gwen, what the fuck am I supposed to do?” Max asked dismayed.

Gwen looked on as he raved before taking a deep breath, closing her eyes, and letting it out slowly. When she opened her eyes again Max knew she was about to give him a speech. “Well, you can only do what you can, Max.” Gwen started in the most calm and collected voice that he ever heard come out of her. “Yes, it’s hard when your friends seem to focus on the wrong things, but that’s just how humans are. They are overtaken by survival instincts everyday. It’s not Neil or Nikki’s fault that they remember the incident with Nurf as a display of homophobia, as they are themselves are gay and they keep it in mind to try and keep themselves safe. 

It’s the same way with you and your anger. It’s not my belief that you ever mean to hurt anyone and you do have a remarkable check on it for your age. But when people insult you in a way that you can’t stand for, or they anger you in a way that stands outside your bounds of acceptable morals, you can’t help but do something, anything about it. Whether it’s trying to originally setting out to just hear Preston’s story to beating the snot out of Nurf for insulting Preston in a way that you couldn’t stand for. 

These things are set up inside us all to keep us safe, to keep us moving, and to plainly just to keep us alive. The only thing that is actually asked of any of us in society is to try and keep these instincts in check. You with keeping up your anger managment, and Neil and Nikki with trying to remember that what you say and do are not always what you mean and think. 

You can be very hard to read sometimes, you keep all your emotions bottled up and you rarely if ever let anyone in to actually see the real you. _You_ know why you beat up Nurf all those years ago, because it was you who did it. It was your thought process that made you think what you did was the best logical step of action. Nikki and Neil, they don’t know that the same way you do. Maybe they don’t even know to this day what you beat up Nurf for. It was never public knowledge outside of you, me, David, and Preston. 

My advice? Just talk to them a bit more Max. Try to explain your feelings to them, they want to hear you. Take sometime and actually open up to them, they won't think less of you. That much I can promise.” Gwen finished and Max mulled over her words for a minute. He glanced back over to the clock and notice it was effectively one hour that he’s been talking to Gwen.

He stood and stretched his arms above his head. “Whelp, that’s good for one day.” Max said dismissively. “You have stupid kids to watch and make sure don’t die and I have two friends to finally hang out with.” Max said walking to the door. Gwen didn’t get up and watched Max start to leave.

“I’ll see you again tomorrow then?” Gwen asked making Max pause as she finally stood and fiddled with the desk. “I’ll have to tell David you’re still not clear until you agree to meet with me everyday for a week.”

Max looked at her and sighed. “Fine, yes I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” Max agreed reluctantly and reached for the door handle. 

“Wait,” Gwen said as she tried to hand Max a piece of green paper. Max looked at it questioningly but didn’t take it. “I told Nikki and Neil if you gave them a piece of colored paper with my name on it, that means you’ve talked to me and it’s ok for them to hang out with you.” Gwen said smiling. 

Max gave a dramatic sigh and groaned, “Are you fucking me?” He asked as he took the piece of paper. “Are we going to do this every day? A different piece of paper to let them know I’m sane enough to talk to?” Max bemoaned. “Is there some stupid code you made up with them too? Like blue means calm, green means normal, and red mean angry?” he asked as he flipped the paper over to see a messy scrawl that was Gwen’s signature. 

She gave a light laugh and lightly scratched her cheek. So Max might not have been a 100% correct, but he was close. Different colors probably meant different things. Gwen pushed Max towards the door. “Go on you creep, have fun with your friends.”

Rolling his eyes Max opened the door and left to try and find them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such a long wait. I had no idea where I wanted to take Max and Gwen's conversation for the longest time.   
> I then got distracted with a different story that I ended up writing, it's called "Why...Why not me..." Check it out if you want, it's also a Camp Camp story focused on a Nikki/Max/Neil relationship. It's also just a whole lote more angsty, if that's possible. ;P

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed. I hope to update soon, but if you've read anything else by me you know I don't update regularly. Thank you.


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